Ayden-Grifton boys fall in close one to Pamlico

By Adam Thompson / New Bern Sun Journal

Published: Thursday, December 12, 2013 at 08:05 PM.

Khalif Harper scored 16 points to lead the Chargers and Taylor scored 13.

Pamlico won on the glass, 36-22.

“They knocked us on our heels to start the game off,” Moye said. “I don't think they missed a shot to start the game. We got a couple defensive stops in the second quarter, and I thought we started chipping away right before halftime.”

BAYBORO – Leading by three with 5.6 seconds remaining, the Pamlico Hurricanes committed a foul on a 3-point basket.

Ayden-Grifton's Keishmand Taylor, who connected on his first nine free throw attempts, missed his first shot but hit the next two.

Josiah Simmons iced the game with a pair of foul shots, lifting Pamlico to a 56-53 win over visiting Ayden-Grifton Wednesday in a rematch of last year's 1A third-round playoff game.

“It was pressure time, and (Taylor) missed the first one but made the next two,” said Ayden-Grifton coach John Moye. “I thought we were going to get a steal at the end, but we didn't get it. The guy (Simmons) knocked down the free throw to end it.”

Pamlico drained four first-quarter 3-pointers to take a 21-8 lead. Ayden-Grifton cut its deficit to 29-21 at halftime and got within three points late in the third quarter.

“It confirms some things we talked about before the game. This is our fifth game and we are trying to find ourselves with the football players coming out late,” Pamlico coach Earl Sadler said. “One of the things we talked about was, ‘we are a team.’ We have some good basketball players, but they need each other.

“When they played together, we looked really (good).”

Lewis hit a step-back jumper to begin the final quarter. Pamlico's senior guard then stole the ball and went the other way for a layup, pushing the Hurricanes' lead to 44-37.

Ayden-Grifton charged back to take its first lead of the game, 49-48, when Taylor converted on a pair of free throws with 3:05 remaining.

Pamlico regained the lead on Cameron Moore's putback, but Ayden-Grifton's Will Gardner's answer handed the Chargers a 51-50 advantage.

The Hurricanes responded with a steal and a layup from Simmons and two free throws by Randall.

Pamlico missed five free throws down the stretch, but it was Ayden-Grifton who missed the biggest one with five seconds to go.

“That's been one of our weaknesses. We've been shooting about 50 percent this year and there is no excuse for it,” Sadler said. “It's about concentration and reps, just like hitting a baseball or hitting a golf ball.”

Khalif Harper scored 16 points to lead the Chargers and Taylor scored 13.

Pamlico won on the glass, 36-22.

“They knocked us on our heels to start the game off,” Moye said. “I don't think they missed a shot to start the game. We got a couple defensive stops in the second quarter, and I thought we started chipping away right before halftime.”